ABC Broadcaster Sacked Amid Co-ordinated Lobbying Campaign

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) has come under scrutiny after broadcaster Antoinette Lattouf was sacked following a co-ordinated campaign by pro-Israel lobbyists. The campaign, led by a group called Lawyers for Israel, targeted key ABC figures including Chair Ita Buttrose and Managing Director David Anderson.

Leaked messages from a WhatsApp group called Lawyers for Israel reveal a sustained effort by group members to demand Lattouf’s dismissal from the ABC. Threats of legal action were also made if the broadcaster did not comply. In one message shared within the group, Buttrose acknowledged the concerns raised by the campaigners and forwarded the email to Chris Oliver-Taylor, the ABC’s Chief Content Officer.

Members of Lawyers for Israel resorted to derogatory language, referring to Lattouf’s lawyer, Josh Bornstein, as a “traiter” (sic). It was also discovered that Robert Goot, Deputy President of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, actively participated in discussions regarding Lattouf’s dismissal.

The leaked WhatsApp messages shed light on the aggressive lobbying tactics used by Lawyers for Israel to influence the ABC. While the campaign against Lattouf also touched on a separate issue involving a pro-Palestinian protest, those messages were no longer available.

The intensity of the campaign against Lattouf increased during the week she was contracted to present the ABC Sydney radio morning program. Prior to her appointment, Lattouf had made controversial social media posts criticizing Israeli soldiers and questioning the actions of protesters in Sydney.

According to later-filed court documents, ABC managers expressed positive feedback about Lattouf’s morning program. However, on the third day of her contract, she was informed of her termination by her boss, Elizabeth Green, citing orders from higher authorities. The official reason given was Lattouf’s reposting of a Human Rights Watch report suggesting Israel was using starvation as a weapon of war.

Lattouf is now alleging illegal termination based on her political opinions, racism, and a campaign orchestrated by the Executive Council of Australian Jewry. The legality of her dismissal and whether it was the result of external pressure or a violation of internal ABC policies will likely be central to her case.

Screenshots obtained from the Lawyers for Israel WhatsApp group, which has 156 members, expose a co-ordinated letter-writing campaign conducted while Lattouf was on air. The group sent numerous letters during her second day, and on the day of her dismissal, group administrator Nicky Stein urged members to contact Communications Minister Michelle Rowland, copying in the ABC ombudsman, the board, and David Anderson. Stein emphasized the importance of lawyers voicing their concerns to create a legal threat.

Following this, Ita Buttrose replied to multiple letters of complaint the group had sent. Shortly after, Lattouf was dismissed. Lattouf’s lawyer, Josh Bornstein, and Lattouf herself declined to comment on the leaked messages. The ABC maintained that it followed its transparent complaints process, regardless of the source of the complaint.

Lawyer Nicky Stein defended the Lawyers for Israel WhatsApp group, claiming it consisted of lawyers concerned about Israel and rising antisemitism. Stein denied allegations of a coordinated campaign for Lattouf’s dismissal and rejected any notion of control over the group. Another group administrator, Lindy Blashki, was not available for comment. It is important to note that the Lawyers for Israel WhatsApp group has no official affiliation with recognized Australian Jewish community advocacy bodies or the international group of the same name.

In response to the allegations, Alex Ryvchin, co-CEO of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, categorically denied any involvement in a campaign to oust Lattouf, describing such claims as “total bullshit”. When confronted with evidence that members of Lawyers for Israel were discussing the ABC’s actions and continuing the campaign, Deputy President Robert Goot claimed to have only shared information he received regarding Lattouf’s position.

Since the revelations, access to the Lawyers for Israel WhatsApp group has been restricted, with members alerted to avoid screen-shots of comments. The group’s purpose is said to be the sharing of ideas and a space to discuss concerns about Israel and antisemitism.